§ 38. Mr. Warbeyasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will appoint a committee to make a comprehensive survey of the canals and inland waterways of Great Britain and to make recommendations for their more effective utilisation in the interests of the national economy and of public safety.
§ The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)I will discuss the question of such a survey with the British Transport Commission.
§ Mr. WarbeyI thank the right hon. Gentleman for that statement, but will he treat the matter as one of urgency, in view of the fact that the roads are becoming increasingly congested with heavy goods traffic, much of which could be more economically carried on the canals if they were suitably maintained?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydCertainly.
§ Mr. WoodburnWhen the Minister institutes this survey will he keep in mind the question of amenities and the health of communities in the vicinity of these canals? In Scotland there have been some complaints about the stagnation of these canals becoming a nuisance and a disturbance to the health of the adjacent communities.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI certainly shall. In fairness to the British Transport Commission, I must point out that it is entirely concerned with transport considerations, and in fairness to myself I must further point out that it was the right hon. Gentleman's own Government which put these canals under the control of the Transport Commission.
Mr. HarrisonWill the Minister direct the attention of the British Transport Commission particularly to the urgent question of the use of derelict canals, which is a very distressing problem?